Culbertson Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (CA)

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Lake depth chart

Culbertson Lake, CA

Max 16 ft

Today's read

Where to start

Callibaetis (Speckled Dun) window is on — see the hatch outlook

Hatch outlook

Callibaetis (Speckled Dun)Active window

Typical here: May 1 – Oct 1 · multi-brood; a documented midsummer lull when surface temps push fish deep

nymphthe hours before the midday emergence — nymphs rise off the weed tops in a vertical zigzag that can take hours — sources split between slow 2–4 inch strips with long pauses and a quicker steady retrieve; carry both speeds
dunmidday, roughly 11am into early afternoon
spinnermid-to-late-morning falls

Trout browse the weed-bed edges knocking nymphs loose, then cruise the flats sipping duns at midday — the marquee western lake mayfly.

The midday emergence puts cruisers over weed flats in under 20 ft: a casting bubble with a #14 Callibaetis nymph retrieved dead-slow with pauses is the honest match. Between hatch hours, small spoons and #1 inline spinners along the weed edges and drop-offs pick off the same fish.

The event happens over weed flats and weed-bed edges in 20 ft of water or less

Chironomids (stillwater midges)Active window

Typical here: Apr 25 – Oct 31 · end of April to the end of October at Crowley — the main food source for the entire season

nymphearly morning, start of the day — fish the bloodworm ON the bottom — 4–6 inches off the mud before the emergence starts
pupathe cool morning hours are prime — as the emergence builds, slide the pupa up to 12–15 inches off bottom under the indicator; a little wind chop does the jigging

Concentrates by DEPTH BAND and mud type, not a fixed spot: roughly 20–25 ft in spring, deeper midsummer, in against the feeder creeks in summer heat, 5–25 ft in fall. Match the band.

This one translates almost perfectly: a slip float with a 1/64–1/100 oz midge-pattern jig set 4–15 inches off bottom over a mud flat, dead-sticked with the chop doing the work. Depth control is everything — no moving lure imitates a hanging pupa; the float rig IS the technique.

The event happens over open mud flats alongside weedlines, channels and basin edges; feeder-creek mouths in summer heat

Grasshoppers (east-side summer)Active window

Typical here: Jul 1 – Sep 30 · the East Walker and Upper Owens terrestrial program

adultall day in high summer, best when afternoon wind knocks bugs onto the water

Pulls fish to the windward grassy banks and edges for months — fish the bank the wind blows ONTO.

The friendliest crossover of the summer: on lakes, drift the windward bank with a bubble-and-foam-hopper — the bubble's splash doesn't hurt a hopper presentation. On rivers, the same rig dead-drifted along the undercut grass banks, or small gold spinners under the banks between rises.

The event happens over grassy banks, undercut edges and windward shorelines

Next on this water

Damselfly migration · forageMay 25 – Aug 31 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Culbertson Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Culbertson Lake on the board.

Fishing Culbertson Lake: what the data says

71-acre lake near Nevada County. The lake tops out around 16 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.

The drawn water covers 70 acres wrapped in 2 miles of bank. With a 1.7 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Roughly 90% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 0.7 mi, about 0.3 mi across. It sits in Nevada County. Lower Rock Lake sits 1 mi north — the closest neighbouring chart.

Brook Trout fishing at Culbertson Lake

Spring brook trout on Culbertson Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 16 ft, and by winter most fish are in 2 to 16 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 14 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon
Summer	5 to 16 ft	dawn & dusk	Deep basin (14 ft)	Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm
Fall	2 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Small spoon (orange), Spinner
Winter	2 to 16 ft	dawn	Deep basin (14 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic

Rainbow Trout fishing at Culbertson Lake

Early season rainbow trout use the shallows, holding in 4 to 16 ft. Even in summer they hold at 4 to 16 ft; winter keeps them in 3 to 16 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 7 ft that grades prime for winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	4 to 16 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	4 to 16 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (7 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	5 to 16 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	3 to 16 ft	dawn	Break off the point (7 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Brown Bullhead fishing at Culbertson Lake

When the water first warms, brown bullhead slide up into 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 12 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 16 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 14 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 8 ft	dusk & night	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)
Summer	3 to 12 ft	night & dusk	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)
Fall	5 to 15 ft	dusk	Deep basin (14 ft)
Winter	5 to 16 ft	midday	Deep basin (14 ft)

Notable structure

The chart marks 6 structure features on Culbertson Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 14 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 14 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 7 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft

Culbertson Lake fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for California waters are set by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Culbertson Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official California fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Culbertson Lake?

Culbertson Lake is about 16 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in Culbertson Lake?

Anglers target brook trout, rainbow trout, brown bullhead on Culbertson Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Culbertson Lake?

Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for brown bullhead in winter. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish Culbertson Lake?

For brook trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Culbertson Lake?

Fishing on Culbertson Lake is regulated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Check the official California regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Lower Rock Lake 1 mi · Lindsey Lakes 1 mi · Feely Lake 1 mi · Carr Lake 2 mi · Sawmill Lake 2 mi · Faucherie Lake 3 mi · Weaver Lake 4 mi · Blue Lake 4 mi · Rucker Lake 5 mi · French Lake 5 mi · Meadow Lake 7 mi · Snowflower 7 mi

See how Culbertson Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in California · best brook trout lakes in California · best brown bullhead lakes in California

More water nearby: Nevada County fishing maps (15 charts). Browse all California fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.